


across scarred terrain

by 3dgrace (fixwithgold)



Series: Whumptober 2020 [12]
Category: Three Days Grace (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Bandom - Freeform, M/M, One-Sided Relationship, Whumptober 2020, lies show up as scars, lying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27000523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fixwithgold/pseuds/3dgrace
Summary: Whumptober Day 12Prompt: I Think I've Broken SomethingEveryone has scars, because everyone tells lies.
Relationships: Adam Gontier/Brad Walst
Series: Whumptober 2020 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947046
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	across scarred terrain

Everyone had scars. You couldn't go your whole life without lying, after all, and Brad definitely had his fair share of marks: a collection of faded tally marks down the side of his right leg that counted the times he lied to his mom about where he was going in high school; an irregular oval on his thumb was "I wasn't zoning out." 

Different lie, different scar, but telling the same lie over and over would deepen the cut, leave a darker, wider mark that was less likely to fade over time. Most people had at least one scar like that, because it was hard to get out of the habit of saying "good" when someone asked how you were doing.

"That's what this one is, right?" Brad had softly asked one day, tracing along the wide swath of scar tissue that wrapped itself loosely along Adam's left shoulder blade and around to his side, where a second, slightly less angry scar intersected it at an angle. "An 'I'm Fine,' or a 'Just Tired.'" 

"Yeah," Adam had answered, even as he felt the familiar pain sear down into the smaller scar on his side. Brad wouldn't be able to tell, even while he was paying attention; after a while, a repeated lie would stop reopening the skin and just slash deeper in.

There were always procedures for scar reduction—lasers were the most popular and effective. But those only worked if you stopped adding to the scar tissue.

They'd been talking for about an hour, discussing the new record they were just about done writing, when Brad abruptly had to go answer the door.

"I think this album's gonna be the best yet. Can't wait! Love you," Brad said, the smile on his face audible in his voice even through the phone.

"I love you too," Adam replied, and winced as the scar on his back dug itself deeper.


End file.
